Here's everything you need to know before the 2026 DII softball championship kicks off on Thursday, May 14.
The championship bracket was revealed on Monday, May 11. The 64-team field will consist of 23 automatic qualifiers and 41 at-large bids.
The tournament will conclude on Wednesday, June 3 at the Frost Stadium at Warner Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
2026 DII softball championship bracket
👉 Click to view the interactive bracket | Regional brackets
📳 Follow live regional action here
2026 DII softball championship schedule:
- Selection show: Monday, May 11 at 10 a.m. on krikya888s.com
- Regionals: Thursday, May 14 - Saturday, May 16 | Results
- Super Regionals: Thursday, May 21 - Friday, May 22
- Finals: Frost Stadium at Warner Park
- Thursday, May 28
- Game 1 |No. 1 vs. No. 8 | 11 a.m.
- Game 2 | No. 4 vs. No. 5 | 1: 30 p.m.
- Game 3 | No. 2 vs. No. 7 | 4 p.m.
- Game 4 | No. 3 vs. No. 6 | 6:30 p.m.
- Friday, May 29
- Game 5 | Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 | 12 p.m.
- Game 6 | Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 | 2:30 p.m.
- Game 7 | Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 | 11 a.m.
- Game 8 | Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4 | 1:30 p.m.
- Saturday, May 30
- Game 9 | Loser of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 7 | 4 p.m.
- Game 10 | Loser of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 8 | 6:30 p.m.
- Sunday, May 31
- Game 11 | Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 9 | 11 a.m.
- Game 13 | IF NECESSARY | 4 p.m.
- Game 12 | Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 10 | 1:30 p.m.
- Game 14 | IF NECESSARY | 6:30 p.m.
- Game 11 | Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 9 | 11 a.m.
- Championship:
- Tuesday, June 2
- Game 1 | 6 p.m.
- Wednesday, June 3
- Game 2 | 3 p.m.
- Game 3 | IF NECESSARY | 5:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, June 2
- Thursday, May 28
DII softball championship history
The University of Texas at Tyler is the defending back-to-back national champions after claiming its second title in 2025 over Tampa. Cal State Northridge holds the most titles (4) since 1982. Check out the complete history of the DII softball championship:
| Year | Champion (Record) | Coach | Score | Runner-Up | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | University of Texas at Tyler (62-5) | Mike Reed | 3-0 | Tampa | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 2024 | University of Texas at Tyler (58-8) | Mike Reed | 10-1 | Western Washington | Longwood, Fla. |
| 2023 | *North Georgia (64-7) | Mike Davenport | 3-0 | Grand Valley State | Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| 2022 | Rogers State (58-10) | Andrea Vaughan | 6-1 | Cal State Dom. Hills | Denver, Colo. |
|
2021 |
Michael Mook | 4-1 | Biola | Denver, Colo. | |
| 2020 | Canceled due to Covid-19 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2019 | *Augustana (SD) (61-11) | Gretta Melsted | 6-4 | Texas A&M-Kingsville | Denver, Colo. |
| 2018 | *Southern Indiana (40-23) | Sue Kunkle | 8-3 | Saint Anselm | Salem, Va. |
| 2017 | *Minnesota State (64-7) | Lori Meyer | 5-1 | Angelo State | Salem, Va. |
| 2016 | North Alabama (60-7) | Ashley Cozart | 4-1 | Humboldt State | Denver |
| 2015 | North Georgia (54-8) | Mike Davenport | 5-0 | Dixie State | Oklahoma City |
| 2014 | *West Texas A&M (60-7) | Kevin Blaskowski | 3-2 | Valdosta State | Salem, Va. |
| 2013 | *Central Oklahoma (51-11) | Genny Stidham | 5-2 | Kutztown | Salem, Va. |
| 2012 | Valdosta State (58-5) | Thomas Macera | 4-1 | UC San Diego | Louisville, Ky. |
| 2011 | UC San Diego | Patti Gerckens | 10-3 | Alabama-Huntsville | Salem, Va. |
| 2010 | *Hawaii Pacific (50-8) | Bryan Nakasone | 4-3 | Valdosta State | Saint Joesph, Mo. |
| 2009 | Lock Haven (51-6) | Kelly Green | 8-0 | Alabama-Huntsville | Salem, Va. |
| 2008 | *Humboldt State (57-18) | Frank Cheek | 1-0 | Emporia State | Houston |
| 2007 | *SIU Edwardsville (49-8) | Sandy Montgomery | 3-2 | Lock Haven | Akron, Ohio |
| 2006 | *Lock Haven (56-4) | Kelly Green | 3-0 | Emporia State | Salem, Va. |
| 2005 | * **Lynn (54-7) | Thomas Macera | 5-3 | Kennesaw State | Salem, Va. |
| 2004 | Angelo State (47-11 | Travis Scott | 7-3 | Florida Southern | Altamonte Springs, Fla. |
| 2003 | *UC Davis (53-15) | Kathy DeYoung | 7-0 | Georgia College | Salem, Ore. |
| 2002 | St. Mary's (Texas) (58-11) | Donna Fields | 4-0 | Grand Valley State | Salem, Va. |
| 2001 | Nebraska-Omaha (54-6) | Jeanne Tostenson | 4-0 | Lewis | Salem, Va. |
| 2000 | North Dakota State (68-10) | Mitch Hanson | 3-1 | Kennesaw State | Columbus, Ga. |
| 1999 | Humboldt State (55-7-1) | Frank Cheek | 7-2 | Nebraska-Kearney | Salem, Va. |
| 1998 | California (Pa.) (49-7) | Rick Bertagnolli | 2-1 | Barry | Pensacola, Fla. |
| 1997 | *California (Pa.) (53-5) | Rick Bertagnolli | 2-1 | Wisconsin-Parkside | Salem, Va. |
| 1996 | Kennesaw State (49-8) | Scott Whitlock | 6-4 | Nebraska-Omaha | Emporia, Kan. |
| 1995 | Kennesaw State (53-5) | Scott Whitlock | 3-2 | Bloomsburg | Salem, Va. |
| 1994 | Merrimack (45-4) | Michele Myslinski | 6-2 | Humboldt State | Shawnee, Kan. |
| 1993 | Florida Southern (45-11) | Chris Bellotto | 11-5 | Augustana (S.D.) | Shawnee, Kan. |
| 1992 | Missouri Southern State (50-7) | Pat Lipira | 1-0 | Cal State East Bay | Shawnee, Kan. |
| 1991 | *Augustana (SD) (61-4-1) | Sandy Jerstad | 3-2 | Bloomsburg | Midland, Mich. |
| 1990 | Cal State Bakersfield (44-11) | Kathy Welter | 6-2 | Cal State Northridge | Midland, Mich. |
| 1989 | Cal State Bakersfield (38-23) | Kathy Welter | 8-5 | Sacramento State | Sacramento, Calif. |
| 1988 | Cal State Bakersfield (54-9-1) | Kathy Welter | 4-3 | Lock Haven | Sacramento, Calif. |
| 1987 | Cal State Northridge (58-7) | Gary Torgeson | 4-0 | Florida Southern | Quincy, Ill. |
| 1986 | *Stephen F. Austin (38-15-1) | Dianne Baker | 1-0 | Cal State Northridge | Akron, Ohio |
| 1985 | *Cal State Northridge (62-19) | Gary Torgeson | 2-1 | Akron | Northridge, Calif. |
| 1984 | *Cal State Northridge (51-12-2) | Gary Torgeson | 1-0 | Akron | Sioux Falls, S.D. |
| 1983 | *Cal State Northridge (35-20-2) | Gary Torgeson | 1-0 | Sam Houston State | Orange, Calif. |
| 1982 | Sam Houston State (40-6) | Wayne Daigle | 3-2 | Cal State Northridge | Stratford, Conn. |